Montcalm and Wolfe eBook

Chapter 28

1759

Fall of Quebec

“Never was rout more complete than that of our
army,” says a French official.[783] It was the
more so because Montcalm held no troops in reserve,
but launched his whole force at once against the English.
Nevertheless there was some resistance to the pursuit.
It came chiefly from the Canadians, many of whom had
not advanced with the regulars to the attack.
Those on the right wing, instead of doing so, threw
themselves into an extensive tract of bushes that
lay in front of the English left; and from this cover
they opened a fire, too distant for much effect, till
the victors advanced in their turn, when the shot
of the hidden marksmen told severely upon them.
Two battalions, therefore, deployed before the bushes,
fired volleys into them, and drove their occupants
out.

[Footnote 783: Daine au Ministre, 9 Oct. 1759.]

Again, those of the Canadians who, before the main
battle began, attacked the English left from the brink
of the plateau towards the St. Charles, withdrew when
the rout took place, and ran along the edge of the
declivity till, at the part of it called Cote Ste.-Genevieve,
they came to a place where it was overgrown with thickets.
Into these they threw themselves; and were no sooner
under cover than they faced about to fire upon the
Highlanders, who presently came up. As many of
these mountaineers, according to their old custom,
threw down their muskets when they charged, and had
no weapons but their broadswords, they tried in vain
to dislodge the marksmen, and suffered greatly in the
attempt. Other troops came to their aid, cleared
the thickets, after stout resistance, and drove their
occupants across the meadow to the bridge of boats.
The conduct of the Canadians at the Cote Ste.-Genevieve
went far to atone for the short-comings of some of
them on the battle-field.

A part of the fugitives escaped into the town by the
gates of St. Louis and St. John, while the greater
number fled along the front of the ramparts, rushed
down the declivity to the suburb of St. Roch, and
ran over the meadows to the bridge, protected by the
cannon of the town and the two armed hulks in the
river. The rout had but just begun when Vaudreuil
crossed the bridge from the camp of Beauport.
It was four hours since he first heard the alarm,
and his quarters were not much more than two miles
from the battle-field. He does not explain why
he did not come sooner; it is certain that his coming
was well timed to throw the blame on Montcalm in case
of defeat, or to claim some of the honor for himself
in case of victory. “Monsieur the Marquis
of Montcalm,” he says, “unfortunately
made his attack before I had joined him."[784] His
joining him could have done no good; for though he
had at last brought with him the rest of the militia